


Almost Easy

by GhostOfNoah



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, High School AU, There will be mentions of Rape/Non-Con, also physical violence cause Nathan, there will obviously be Exy but not as much as AFTG, this is my take on the Highschool AU trope
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-02-23 01:10:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13179171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostOfNoah/pseuds/GhostOfNoah
Summary: After an accident ending with the death of their mother, Andrew and Aaron Minyard move to Baltimore with their cousin.Andrew has less than zero interest, but it doesn’t take long before a red haired boy with a black eye peaks his interest.





	1. Chapter 1

“So there’s a bedroom upstairs across the hall from mine, and I haven’t done anything with the basement yet but if one of you wants to uhh...” Nicky trailed off when he noticed neither Andrew or Aaron was paying attention.

They had only been in Baltimore for twelve hours and despite Nicky’s high hopes things weren’t going as planned.

He’d received a call while in Germany that their mother had died in an accident, Andrew had been hurt and there was no other viable guardian to care for the twin boys. Andrew had apparently been in the system before and that didn’t go well, according to his social workers.

So Nicky had left Germany and come back to serve as their guardian until they were of legal age. With just under a months notice, he was able to lock down a small house in Baltimore and the twins were moved over from South Carolina.

“We can go shopping this weekend for things to make things more comfortable for you two.” He tried again, and again received not a word.

Andrew didn’t look at Nicky or Aaron as he made he way down the stairs. Taking it as a silent claim, Aaron turned around and headed to the empty bedroom Nicky had shown them earlier.

“Okay then..” Nicky said to nobody “I’ll order Chinese.”

The basement was nothing special. A double bed sat across the room, a bathroom on the left. The walls were a deep red and the floors a worn hardwood. Andrew turned to inspect the stairway landing, his fingers trailing up the wall. A door had been here before. He’d have to get another one.

Andrew walked around the room silently cataloging the list he’d have to give Nicky. He sat down on the bed and pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket. Tapping one out, it didn’t take long to get it lit. He inhaled slowly.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Tilda’s unfortunate accident was supposed to be the end of the line. Ironically the doctors had told him that not wearing a seatbelt had saved his life.

Andrew took another haul and flicked his ashes on the floor.  
Now he was here with a brother who hated him, a cousin who didn’t know him and a high school he was forced to attend.

“I ordered supper!” Nicky called from upstairs, “So if you want to take a shower or anything...”

Andrew could hear Aaron’s door open above him, and socked feet make their way to where Nicky had been shouting. Soft talking was exchanged between them. Andrew left his cigarette between his lips and fell backwards on the naked mattress.

He could just run, he supposed. Aaron certainly wouldn’t miss him, but Nicky might kick up a fuss and if he did it was back to square one. With a final haul he pulled himself up and let his cigarette fall on the floor before grinding it out with his boot.  
He didn’t like the circumstance, but this would have to do.

For now.

“I’ve enrolled you both in a high school not far from here, you wouldn’t believe the amount of schools here, I don’t know what they offer or anything but you only have one year left”, Andrew could hear Nicky explaining to Aaron as he made his way up the stairs, “It’s uhh Forest Park I think. They have a business class, a marching band and an Exy team if you play—oh Andrew good, I was just telling Aaron about your school.”

Andrew didn’t acknowledge him, just walked over to the front door where he’d set his bags down upon arrival.

“Uhm so. That’s the school, you start on Monday so you have five days to get settled, I hope that’s okay. I picked up a job at a coffee shop so I’ll be out during the week but I have weekends off.”

Aaron nodded along, the tension between him and Andrew palpable.  
Andrew chose to remain silent as he slung his bags over his shoulders and made his way back into the basement.  
Nicky sighed.

“Don’t bother,” Aaron muttered “You’re just wasting your time.”

“He’ll come around,” Nicky said hopefully, “He just needs to find something to anchor his time into. Maybe he’ll join a club or something.”

Aaron snorted, “Yeah that’ll be the day .”

The doorbell rang.

“Give him time. You’ll see.”


	2. Chapter 2

Andrew wasn’t sure where Nicky had attained his money from, but he was intensely interested. Their weekend had been filled with a ludicrous amount of shopping, everything from filling out their school shopping lists to furnishing their bedrooms with a few luxuries in between. 

Aaron still hadn’t said anything to him, and Nicky made an attempt to be gentile. An attempt that was quickly failing. 

It was on their drive to school before they’d said anything and it was Andrew who’d prompted the conversation. 

“This situation is less than ideal for you and I, I’m aware of that.”, he spoke from the drivers seat of Nicky’s Volks, “But it’s just you and I and I promised to keep you safe so don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Understood?”

Aaron regarded him for a moment before rolling his eyes, “Yes Sir. I understand Sir.”

“Don’t be an asshole.”

“Fuck you.” 

Aaron pushed out of the car and didn’t wait for Andrew as he made his way up to the building. 

The school itself was monstrously brown and incredibly boring. The only thing indicating it was a high school at all was a gaudy neon sign reading Forest Park Sr High School. Andrew let himself out of the car and grabbed his backpack from the backseat before heading in among the swarms of people. 

Thankfully Nicky had handled the both of their registrations along with the registration of the car so all Andrew had to do was find his locker and head to class. 

The inside of the building was as uneventful as the outside. The walls were a mind numbing cream and each row of lockers a different colour. Hundreds of students bustled about chatting and pairing off into already established groups. 

Normally the first day of school was for engaging in these kinds of things; making friends, getting to know other students. But Tilda’s accident and their move to Baltimore had them settling a month after the start of the year. 

He wasn’t here to make friends, he easily reminded himself. All Andrew had to do was make sure Aaron graduated and got into a good school. Everything after that...well Andrew didn’t have current plans to see an after that. 

Finding his locker wasn’t hard when his identical twin had one just beside him. Aaron was already hard at work hanging up his bag and sitting through his things for what he’d need for first class. Andrew pulled his locker open, tossed his bag in nonchalantly and closed it again, fastening a lock to the metal loop in the door. 

“You know you actually need things for class.” Aaron told him. 

Andrew didn’t gratify him with an answer and Aaron didn’t push. 

His first class was English, with an annoyingly pleasant woman followed by Math and World History, which ended up being held by a monotonous old man. The most amusing part of the class was watching a dark haired student correct the teacher on wether or not the Trojan War was fact or fiction. Their debate had taken up the entire period and Andrew was thankful when they were dismissed for lunch. 

The menu today was cheese steak and Caesar salad. Andrew claimed his tray and it didn’t take him long to find Aaron sitting alone. He debated finding a seat of his own, but the cafeteria was filling up fast so he headed for his brother. 

“This place is hell.” Aaron said in greeting. Andrew didn’t expect him to look relieved that he’d come to sit with him. 

“We don’t have much time here so just keep your head down.”

Across the cafeteria a crowd began to laugh. Aaron turned, curious and Andrew leaned a little to his right to glimpse over Aaron’s turned shoulder.  
From what he could see a boy had sauntered into the room, his head down.  
It took Andrew another minute to see what had caused the commotion. 

“Hey Wesninski, nice shiner. Piss off Daddy again?” the voice belonged to a tall boy, his hair dark and slicked back. 

Next to him Andrew recognized the boy from his history class, then loud and sure now he stood meek and quiet.  
Interesting. 

“Found the douchebags, that wasn’t hard.” Aaron spat turning around. Andrew spared him a glance, his face hard, before turning back to the beaten boy now taking a seat at the table across from the Twins. 

It was as he said, the small boy with the red hair had a dark bruise blossoming across the left side of his face and his eye bled red from a fist too close. He only looked up when he noticed Andrew was staring at him, his head cocked to the side. His eyes were the bluest things Andrew had ever seen in his life and the tightness in his chest was uncomfortable. But it was the boy who looked away first, shoving hard at the table on his way up. When he turned back to his own table Aaron was watching him with a bored expression. 

“Find something new to play with?” 

“Wait for me by the car after the last bell.” Was all he said before getting up and following the boy out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can see there will be deviations from canon, but it will all come together!
> 
> Thanks so much for everyone who took time to give kudos and comment!


	3. Chapter 3

Whoever this kid was he was a lot better at hiding than he should have been. It took Andrew a good week of looking before he found him again. To be fair he wasn’t actually looking and had decided he didn’t care anymore when he found him out back of the school, cigarette at his lips. 

Andrew tried not to acknowledge him as he pulled out his own cigarette. The bruise on the boys face was a fading blue and yellow, a galaxy beneath his eyes. A fresh bruise bloomed up from his shirt and ended at his throat. 

Neither of them said nothing for a long time, it wasn’t until the boy flicked his cigarette and began to walk away that Andrew spoke up. 

“You shouldn’t take that shit from them.”

The day in the cafeteria wasn’t the first time the boy had been called after or yelled at. His name wasn’t hard to figure out with a last name like Wesninski and Andrew did some detective work of his own to put the pieces together. 

The dark haired boy in his World History class, who stood quietly by the bully, was Kevin Day and the bully was Riko Moriyama. Both boys were High School royalty and virtually untouchable. Rumour had it that Wesninski’s father worked for the Moriyama’s and the stories said he was everything from a mob boss to a hitman. Nobody touched the boy except Riko. 

He didn’t turn around, but he stopped walking. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”, he kept his voice low. 

“I know your real name is Nathaniel but you refuse to respond to it unless it’s Riko or Day. I know your mother died mysteriously and your father beats the living shit out of you.”

“Stop.”

“I know you’re absolutely terrified of waking up every morning but you do anyway for a reason I haven’t figured out yet.”

“I said stop.” The boy whipped around, his blue eyes fierce. Andrews stomach clenched “What do you want from me? What do you possibly think you can do for me? Aren’t you new here? You have no idea how these things work.”

“Then let me,” Andrew shrugged, taking a haul from his cigarette. He’d thought about this for days and it almost pissed him off how when he closed his eyes, those blue ones were staring back at him. 

“Why,” he asked skeptically. 

“Because I’m bored. I’ll help you and you’ll help me.” He hated how the words sounded the minute they left his mouth. 

The boy raised an eyebrow, “There’s nothing I can offer you.” 

“You don’t know that.” Andrew tossed his cigarette aside. 

“I do.” his voice was low now, his teeth at his lips “Thanks I guess but you don’t know what you’re getting into.” 

“Neil.” Andrew called after him, daring to use his name, “I’m only going to offer once.” 

The boy smiled and it was heartbreaking. Andrew could feel the ground beneath him shift, “Thanks. I’m fine though.”

Andrew watched him walk away, his red hair burning under the light from the sun. When he was out of sight he turned and punched the brick wall behind him, blood rising from the broken skin of his knuckles. 

 

 

“Oh good Jesus what happened to your hand?” Nicky shouted over dinner. 

The rest of Andrews day was incredibly uneventful and now that he had found Neil he couldn’t stop seeing him, despite them being two grades apart. He spent his lunches alone or not there at all, nobody aside from Riko or Kevin even talked to him and they seemed to be his ride to and from school. 

“I don’t see why you care so much.” Aaron had told him on their way home. 

Andrew didn’t understand it either, but that look in Neil’s eyes wasn’t something he could ignore. The bruises on his face and chest were no easier to ignore than Aaron’s had been. 

“I fell.” Andrew lied about his bloody knuckles. 

Nicky frowned but didn’t push it as he sat down, “I’m having a small get together this weekend.” 

Aaron and Andrew looked up. 

“You’re both adults, or well close enough, so you can drink or invite friends it’s fine just nothing big.” Nicky smiled “We never did have a housewarming.”

Andrew pushed back from the table, abandoning his supper. Aaron didn’t watch him go. 

“Is that okay with you Andrew?” He called after him. Andrew just raised his two fingers in a mock salute before grabbing the car keys in the small bowl Nicky had set up by the front door and headed for the car. 

Their neighbourhood was a small suburb and Andrew had decided almost immediately that he hated it. The houses were old and worn, and sprinkled in were lavish houses with pristine lawns and picket fences. He smoked two cigarettes before he found a Burger King and decided to stop. 

What was he doing.   
He slammed his head against the headrest. Andrew Joseph Minyard had never been so indecisive and unsure in his entire life. Everything in him screamed to run, to drive and drive and drive. But his feet stayed planted. For Aaron. For...

A knock at his driver side window startled him out of his thoughts and he turned his head at the intruder. 

“Andrew Minyard right?” Riko Moriyama smiled, “I’d like a word with you.”

This ought to be interesting.   
Andrew rolled down his window in lieu of getting out of the car. 

“I hear you’ve been messing with my things. Now, I know you’re new here so I’ll let you off with a warning.” He placed his forearm above Andrew’s window and leaned in, “Nathaniel? Mine. Kevin? Mine. They aren’t to be touched, prodded or talked to without my permission. Now, if you’re looking for something else I’m sure we can arrange a...payment method..”

Andrew opened his door quickly and without warning, knocking Riko back. In a fluid motion he jumped out of the car, grabbed Riko by his collar and slammed him up against the car. 

“You just made the biggest mistake.” Riko smiled. 

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just tell me you were pimping these boys out and in exchange for that I’m not going to break your fucking face in,” Andrew was seething now, he pulled Riko forward and slammed him back again before letting go. 

Riko’s smile never faltered as he stepped forward, wiping off his shirt as if Andrew left something behind. 

“Here’s where I talk now. My property, my things. That means I can do whatever the hell I want, you’ll come to know this I promise.” He poked Andrew hard in the chest, “Touch my things again, Minyard, and we’re going to have a bigger issue than you know what to do with.”

Fighting every instinct in his being, Andrew got back in the car. 

“Watch me.” Was all he said before starting up the car again and ripping out of the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!! This is blowing up thank you guys so much your comments are amazing!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

He woke with a gasp, drenched in sweat, blankets tangled around his ankles. A scream was lodged in his throat but he clasped his hand over his mouth to keep it in.  
  
It wasn't out of the ordinary for Nathaniel to have nightmares, that he had to his his screams.   
Confident the worst had passed, he forced himself to sit up and look at the clock. He still had forty minutes before he would have to leave for school. Before Riko and Kevin would be waiting out front for him. Before he'd have to see Andrew again. Something buzzed in his chest and he shoved it deep down before it could fester.   
  
Nathaniel had thought about their conversation, replayed it over and over again until bronze eyes were all he could see when he tried to sleep.   
  
He showered quickly and dressed in record time. The last thing he needed this morning was to get on his fathers bad side, so he rushed to put his breakfast together before his father came up. As per usual however, luck wasn't on his side. Nathaniel was sure he had his timing right when he hurried past the basement stairs, but heavy steps ascending told him otherwise. Maybe if he didn't look and was quick enough...  
  
"Nathaniel." his fathers voice was deep and menacing, there was an edge to it that told Nathaniel he wouldn't be leaving the house without a few new bruises.  
  
"Yes sir." he stopped, unable to will himself to turn around.   
  
Nathan Wesninski came up behind him and grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling him backwards. "You know it's rude not to look at those talking to you, Nathaniel."  
  
"Y-Yes sir." he yelped.   
  
Nathan dropped him to the floor, and stepped back to roll up his blood stained sleeves. "I hear you've been disappointing me, Nathaniel. Which isn't entierly surprising. But when I get notified about it? Now that's unacceptable." He reached down and grabbed Nathaniel by the hair again before backhanding him hard across the face. Blood splashed across the white tile, and Nathaniel struggled to get to his feet, his vision blurry, "You are a paid debt, understand? You are a possession. If he wants you to be his whore, then that's what you are," he spat, "a whore. Now get the hell out of my sight and do not disappoint me again."  
  
Nathaniel scurried to get to his feet and practically ran out the door. The side of his face was hot and he could taste blood. The second he stepped outside, Riko smiled and Kevin's face paled. Good, he thought, it looked worse than it felt.   
  
He made his way down the front path and climbed into the backseat of the car. In the dashboard mirror he could already see the bruise forming, his fathers ring indented in his skin. His left eye was red with blood and his lip was busted. Riko tossed back a towel with a snicker.   
  
"Clean yourself up, you look ridiculous."  
  
He pressed the dry cloth to his face, dabbing at the blood. He was still unable to see from his eye when they pulled into the school, but Nathaniel didn't say anything for fear Riko would blame him. Parking the car, Riko locked the doors and turned to look at Nathaniel.   
  
"A little bird told me that Andrew Minyard is having a housewarming party this weekend. Find out where."  
  
His heart began to race, "Why?"  
  
"Because." Riko reached over his seat to grab the collar of his shirt, "He's decided he wants to play with me. So we're going to play." he shoved him back against the seat, sitting back properly, "Now get out."  
  
He didn't have to be told twice, he practically fell out and had to recover quickly as to not break his face on the concrete. Kevin walked quickly to catch up to him.   
  
"You shouldn't push him." Kevin sighed.  
  
"Fuck off." he retorted, "He didn't touch you?" he asked, softer this time.  
  
"No."  
  
Nathaniel nodded, pleased. Then it was worth it, he told himself. He couldn't keep Jean safe, and he'd regret that forever. He'd die before anything happened to Kevin, he came to terms with that a long time ago. So while his father beat him and Riko sold him, it was all worth it so long as Kevin was safe.   
  
The day passed quickly, he got looks as he always did when he came to school with fresh wounds, but that was nothing new. Teachers looked on helplessly and friends whispered amongst each other. He thought he was going to lose it by the time lunch rolled around. Forgoing food, he made a beeline for Andrew's table where he sat with his twin.   
  
"Holy shit." Aaron nearly dropped his fork when he caught sight of his face. Andrew turned around and frowned.  
  
"Fall again Wesninski?"   
  
Nathaniel ignored him, "I hear there's a party at your place this weekend."  
  
"Not for you there isn't." Andrew forced himself to turn away and push his food around instead. He hadn't missed the blood in Nathaniel's eye, and the ring imprinted into the bruise on his cheek. It caused a rage in him he hadn't felt since Tilda, ontop of the information Riko had given away so freely, Andrew wanted nothing more than to kill Riko and whoever's hand had broken his lip.   
  
"I need an invite for three." he said anyway, "You know he's going to show up anyway, just make it easier on yourself and say okay."  
  
Aaron's eyes were wide on Andrew, in a silent plea.  
Andrew fought to ignore him.   
  
He pushed back from the table instead, and past Nathaniel to where Riko and Kevin sat watching. He could hear Nathaniel hurrying behind him with a curse.  
  
"If you wanted me at your party so badly why didn't you ask me yourself?" He invited himself to sit across from Riko, a deadly smile on his lips.   
  
"You know how this goes Minyard. Why do it myself when I have dogs to do it for me." Riko smiled back.  
  
His mind rushed a mile a minute thinking of evey way from Sunday he could peel the smile off his lips.   
  
"How much?" Andrew blurted.  
  
Kevin looked stunned and Riko's smile widened, behind him Nathaniel went stiff.  
  
Riko leaned in, his eyes boring through Andrew.  
  
"Two hundred for the night."  
  
Andrew got up and reached for his wallet. Perks of Tilda's death was definitley the insurance money that never seemed to end. He pulled out four bills and tossed them at Riko.   
  
"I want the weekend. See you Saturday."  
  
Pushing past Nathaniel again, absolutely refusing to look at him, he could hear Riko laughing loudly.   
Never in his life did he want to throw up so badly.


	5. Chapter 5

"Andrew!" Nicky's singsong voice danced out of the kitchen and over the music that played throughout the small house, "These are my friends!" he showed off.   
Andrew stopped out of obligation rather than curiosity.   
  
The week had blown by and Andrew was trying to get everything ready for the party. He hadn't seen Nathaniel at school since everything had happened, and if he ever expierienced anxiety he was sure it would feel like this.  
He did not like it.

A group of four people stood around the small island with Nicky. A mish-mash of people really.   
  
Two girls huddled together, giving away their status as a couple. The taller one was overdressed and looked more like she should have been on a plane to Milan rather than here in the kitchen. The girl at her hip looked the complete opposite. She wore plain jeans with a cotton pink sweater, her silver cross glinting around her neck.   
The other two looked even worse for each other. The boy was taller but the girl by his side looked like she'd be the one to win in a fight.  
  
"This is Allison and Renee." he gestured to the girls first and then to the other two, "and this is Matt and Dan."  
  
They all nodded polietely at Andrew, muttering an assortment of hello's. Andrew only had eyes for Nicky. "Third wheel again, huh? They ever tell you five's a crowd?"   
  
He didn't wait for a reply, simply made his way down to his bedroom to change.   
  
Andrew fussed at his clothes for longer than he would like to admit but finally decided on black jeans with a well fitting black t-shirt. He tugged his arm bands up to his elbows and ran his fingers through his hair a few times.   
  
The footseps banging from upstairs got heavier and Andrew figured it was time for him to make his presence known. He stuck a cigarette loosely between his lips and lit it before making his ascent.

The lights were off now and the music was louder. Nicky and his friends were obnoxiously taking shots in the kitchen while more people moved throughout the house. Nicky had said it would be a small party, but it looked as if half the school was here. Andrew found Aaron in the living room surrounded by his classmates, a skinny blonde girl sitting a little too close, Aaron's hand idling in her lap.   
He'd have to address that later.

Making his rounds, he noticed Riko hadn't made his appearance. Frustrated, Andrew made his way to the kitchen, pulling a beer out of the fridge.  
  
"Andrew!" Nicky drawled, "What did I tell you about smoking in the house?"  
  
Andrew looked at him for a second before stalking over to drop his cigarette into his open beer.   
  
"What the hell is your problem?" a voice asked incredulously.   
  
Nicky looked up over Andrew's head and shook his head quickly.  
  
"Allison, leave it." the small Christian girl spoke softly.  
  
"Yeah Allison." Andrew smiled, turning to her, "Leave it."  
  
Standing where he was in the kitchen, he could see the front door open and Riko walk through with Kevin and Nathaniel behind him. Riko zeroed in on him right away and smiled.  
  
"Who is that?" Nicky drooled. Andrew didn't wait to see who he was asking about. He shoved through the people to stand in front of Riko, who was dressed like royalty, along with Kevin. Both of their outfits matched and likely cost more than the house they were standing in.   
  
"There he is." Riko laughed, clapping Andrew on the shoulder, "We can't stay long, Kevin and I have plans." He stepped aside to let Nathaniel through and the breath caught in his throat. He was dressed impeccably, his red hair slicked back and his blue eyes shining. His pants fit in all the right places and a cape like material was slung over his shoulders, complimenting a crimson red dress shirt. The bruise on the left side of his face was healing though blood still remained in his eye.   
"He's all yours. I'll be here tomorrow night to pick him up," Riko smiled, "I loosened him up for you on our way over here. Didn't think you'd mind."  
  
"Get out." he grabbed Nathaniel by the cuff of his sleeve, pulling him behind him and into the house.   
  
Riko raised his hands in defense, laughing, "Consider me gone. Kevin, we're leaving."  
  
Andrew stood long enough to make sure Riko got into the car and drove off. He turned around to lead Nathaniel downstairs, but found Nicky standing behind him as well.   
  
"Andrew." Nicky drawled, "You didn't introduce me to your absolutely gorgeous friend." he was practically ontop of Nathaniel. Andrew pulled the red head to him and pushed Nicky off hard.   
  
"Fuck off." he spat, "Don't touch him. I'm going to bed. Come Neil."  
  
Nathaniel didn't look back at Nicky, who's jaw was on the floor along with everyone else in the house. The duo made their way to Andrew's room, where he closed and locked the door once they were inside. The room was mercifully quiet, unlike the upstairs. Andrew took a deep breath, and turned around. Nathaniel already had his shirt and shoes off, and was beginning to unbuckle his pants.   
  
"Put your fucking clothes back on." Andrew almost yelled.

Nathaniel froze and lifted his eyes to see Andrew.   
  
If he was angry before, Andrew was madder than the forces of hell now.  
Nathaniel's chest was a mangled thing. Throat to hips, he was covered in scars. The ones across his throat and abdomen told him it was a knife, but the one on his shoulder told him it was a bullet. The burn scar of an iron lay across his other shoulder. There were so many bruises Andrew couldn't tell what was new and old.   
  
"I don't understand." Nathaniel began to shake, "Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"No." Andrew was fighting to control himself. "Just put your clothes on. I'm not going to fuck you."  
  
"B-But--"  
  
"I know." Andrew spat, "I paid to have you here to do what I want right? Then put your fucking clothes on and go to sleep."  
  
Nathaniel was clearly confused and looked around the room for more than a minute before picking up his shirt and pulling it across his shoulders with shaking hands. He looked over at the made up bed while Andrew sat down in his plush arm chair. He pulled out a cigarette from the pack on the table beside him and lit it while Nathaniel climbed into the bed.   
  
"Is..Is this okay?" he asked, pulling the sheets over him.  
  
"Fucking perfect. Now sleep, you look like shit."  
  
Nathaniel nodded and lay down.

It took hours before he trusted himself enough to close his eyes, and fall asleep. Andrew watched him the whole time. He told himself he didn't know why he paid Riko two hundred dollars just to put Nathaniel to bed, but deep down he knew. If this was the only way to keep him safe for a little at a time, then this is what he would do.

Andrew hadn't noticed he fell asleep until a hard banging from upstairs woke him. He jolted up in his chair, eyes looking for the boy in his bed. Nathaniel sat upright, his eyes wide.   
  
"Nathanieeeel." Riko's voice rang out from upstairs.   
  
"What the fuck." Andrew jumped up and bolted for the door. He unlocked it, and took the stairs up two at a time.   
  
He found Riko in the living room, knocking over everything he passed.  
  
"Ah!" Riko pointed to him, "Sorry to cut your evening short, but I'm going to need Nathaniel back tonight."  
  
"Andrew?" Nicky croaked from his doorway, "What the hell is going on."  
  
"Go fuck yourself," Andrew spat, ignoring Nicky, "He's mine until tomorrow night."  
  
Riko nodded with mock sadness, "Yes I know and I do hope you've enjoyed your time together. But someone paid more. Ah Nathaniel," he stared past Andrew to the meek boy making his way to the top of the stairs, "It's time to go now. Get in the car."  
  
"Wait!" Andrew almost reached for him, but Riko pushed him out the front door he'd left open. Riko reached into his breast pocket and tossed a wad of money at Andrew's feet.  
  
"This should cover your reimbursment and any other trouble I may have caused. Good night, Andrew Minyard."  
  
He could do nothing but watch him leave. The back door of the black sedan closed behind Nathaneil and the car sped off. Andrew yelled and slammed the door.   
  
"Andrew.." Nicky tried again, quietly, "Was that kid a...a prostitute? Are you paying for sex?"  
  
Andrew couldn't hear it. Not right now. He knew how bad it looked but he couldn't bring himself to explain any of it. He tore the front door open again, instead, and let himself into the darkness of the night without a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters out in a night! sorry for the long wait!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm putting a warning here for underage sex and mentions of pedophilia. Nothing graphic but be warned.

It was past five in the morning when Andrew stumbled back into the house. He thought walking around would help calm his mind, but he tossed that idea when he found his rage growing. Finding a corner store, he bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.  
Andrew smoked the whole pack before he made it home.  
  
He didn't want to think about who had 'paid more' as Riko so eloquently put, but Andrew wasn't going to stop trying.  
Nathaniel had told him that he didn't want his help, but Andrew had the memories of his own trauma playing at the back of his head everytime he looked into those broken blue eyes. He wasn't asking for help because he didn't know how to.  
  
Letting himself in the front door, trying to come up with a plan. He frowned when he found Nicky and Aaron waiting up at the kitchen table, two cups of coffee between them.  
  
"Is this an intervention?" Andrew asked, kicking off his boots.  
  
Nicky shifted uncomfortably, "I'm not here to be your parent Andrew. I'm not here to police you, but that kid was what? Fifteen? The other boy said you paid for him Andrew."  
  
Aaron was watching him carefully, and Nicky looked like he was going to break down. A sick laugh bubbled out of Andrew's throat, but it wasn't one of humor.  
"You honest to God think I'm paying for a child prostitute?" his smile was carnivorous, and Nicky recoiled from it.  
  
"No Andrew, what I-"  
  
"You want to know why I paid to have him here?" he cut off Nicky with a wave of his hand, "You want to know why that son of a bitch walked into our house looking for his property?" Andrew was downright feral, "Because he owns him. Do you know what it means to own a person? To really own them? I paid the bastard so that--", he couldn't find his words, "You know what? I don't have to explain myself to you. To either of you. Fuck you and don't get in my way again."  
  
Nicky and Aaron stared at him, eyes wide as he clomped down the stairs.  
  
"Well," Aaron stood up, stretching like a cat, "That went well."  
  
Downstairs Andrew all but kicked down his own door, absolutely seething.  
The bed was disheveled from where Nathaniel lay hours ago. Sitting in the middle of the bed wsa the shoulder cape Nathaniel wore, and ontop of that an open book. Andrew hurried over to it like it would summon the boy back, and grabbed the clothing and book.  
It was open on the blank first page, and in black pen Nathaniel had written hastily:  
  
"Thank you anyway."  
  
Andrew threw the book at the wall.

 

 

  
Nathaniel had been in the car for what felt like an eternity. Leaving Andrew's house Riko deposited him in the backseat of a car with no other company, save the driver.  
  
He'd played the nights events in his head over and over and over until he was numb. When Andrew threw his money at Riko, he was sure it was going to be just like the rest. But it wasn't. He just let him sleep. Was it a kink or kindness?  
Whatever it was he made the mistake of getting his hopes up and that had been rectified quickly.  
The car jostled to a stop, jolting Nathaniel out of his daze. He leaned over to look out the window opposite him, and was faced with a looming mansion.  
  
He should have known.  
  
"The Master is waiting." the driver informed him, his voice thick with a Japanese accent.  
Nathaneil nodded wordlessly and let himself out of the car.  
  
The car idled until he took a step forward.  
Ichirou Moriyama.  
  
Nathaniel was twelve when he was first called to stand alone in front of Ichirou Moriyama. Beforehand he had been bathed and dressed to be made presentable all the while being told to do whatever was asked.  
  
" _If I hear you have displeased the young Lord I will take you apart myself_." his father had warned.  
  
So he'd gone in and he did what he was told.  
  
His father didn't take him apart then, so he'd assumed he'd done well.  
Ichirou summoned him a month later to the day.  
  
It had started with kisses and dinners at first. Riko was furious and had beat him to a pulp the first night. Jean was still there then.  
  
Now, it was less formal. Nathaniel went in, took the drink he was offered and then undressed. It was the same tonight. Ichirou greeted him with a smile and ran his fingers through his red hair, handing him a glass of something or other he lead Nathaniel to his bed when he took him apart where he made sure to remind him who he answered to regardless of Riko.  
  
"You were elsewhere tonight," Ichirou noted when it was over.  
  
Nathaniel rolled out of bed, surpressing a groan. "I'm sorry my Lord. It won't happen again."  
  
"I should hope not, Akage," Ichirou held out his hand for Nathaniel and the boy took it, "I'd hate to think you're anywhere but here when I have you." he kissed the top of his hand before relinquishing him, "You should shower and go. You have homework no doubt."  
  
Nathaniel nodded and headed for the massive marble bathroom.  
  
It didn't take him as long to get home as it did to get there, somehow it always felt that way, and before he knew it he was crawling into his own bed.  
Closing his eyes, he couldn't help but spare a thought for the blonde boy with the honey eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Woo this chapter sucked lmao not a very strong opening but I have some serious plans for this. I hope you’ll stick around to see them!


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